Watchdog instructs auto brand to remove or amend TV ad campaign
SA’s Advertising Regulatory Board finds Kia advertisement could be offensive to people with certain health disorders.
RETAIL STRATEGY
African retail group Pepkor makes strategic purchase of Choice Clothing
By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2024
Choice has around 100 discount retail stores in SA and Namibia. Pepkor sees potential to triple its retail footprint in the medium term.
Choice Clothing, the discount retailer that operates the Big Daddy chain in Namibia and the Choice Clothing brand in South Africa, has been bought by Pepkor. Pepkor is an SA-based group that houses, among others, the Pep and Ackermans clothing brands that also trade at the value end of the market.
Photo: Choice Clothing
Pepkor is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and operates in various African countries, as well as in Brazil. Its other retail brands include Shoe City, Tekkie Town, Bradlows and Incredible Connection.
The acquisition marks a significant step in Pepkor’s strategy to boost its presence in the adult wear market, where its market share is low. The group’s clothing-related brands have traditionally enjoyed strong market share in baby wear and children’s wear.
Choice Clothing is a cash-based retailer that has 80-plus outlets in South Africa, as well as around 20 stores in Namibia that trade under the Big Daddy brand.
A high-growth market segment
“[It] is positioned at the bottom end of the discount market, a high-growth segment that bridges the gap between the formal discount and informal markets,” a press statement reads.
“The Choice Clothing business is scalable with expansion potential as it benefits from Pepkor’s scale and core competencies in merchandise, sourcing, supply chain, distribution, and properties.”
Sean Cardinaal, the Chief Operating Officer of Pepkor, says the acquisition of Choice Clothing represents an exciting opportunity for Pepkor to reach even more customers in the discount and informal space.
“While the Choice business may be small in comparison to other Pepkor businesses, this is a business which we can grow aggressively by leveraging our scale and capability to potentially triple the retail footprint in the medium term,” he states.
The acquisition is still subject to regulatory approvals.
The gap between AI’s efficiency promises and marketing reality
Global study finds AI is helping marketers produce more – but is not creating the time and creative space they expected.
Number of African megacities to increase from three to 17 by 2050
Urban Africa will double its footprint, adding the equivalent of more than 4,000 Manhattans or almost 400 Singapores, The Economist reports.
Nigeria’s Hyper City appoints CEO with strong Carrefour background
Luc Demez brings experience from Europe and African countries as the Carrefour brand looks to expand into Nigeria with a local partner.
Cracking the Africa Code: The functional path to market leadership
What makes brands successful in Africa? A summary of the award-winning paper presented at Esomar’s first conference in Africa.
‘What’s for dinner tonight, mom?’ Woolies’ AI chef may have the answer
Woolworths supermarket chain embraces an AI-powered chef as it leverages two decades of recipes to answer an age-old family question.
Demand for sportswear is sprinting ahead of the wider apparel market
Consumers are prioritising their wellness despite tighter wallets, meaning sportswear remains one of the most resilient areas of fashion.
Deadline looms for African marketing and supply chain awards
Nominations for the 2026 African Marketing Confederation and African Supply Chain Confederation awards close on 31 July.
Researchers study why negative brand news fails to deter some customers
Consumers may stick with troubled brands because their emotional attachment overrides the perceived risk, study finds.
Marketing’s role in book on how Ghana can deliver public service excelLENCE
Book draws a line between customer experience – the private-sector marketing discipline – and what its authors call ‘Citizen Experience’.
Once close to oblivion, SA retailer Edgars is making a comeback
Six years ago, the historic South African department store chain was in voluntary business rescue. Now it plans to open 50 new stores.
